1.	Accounting and Verification Processes for Emission Reduction

Started from fiscal 2000, this study has reviewed how emission trading is to be handled in corporate accounting and how emission reduction quantities must be verified. As emission trading has started in the United Kingdom from 1 April 2002, early and post-COP8 implementation of CDM is becoming the matter of reality.
In fiscal 2002, GISPRI shall further advance the studies on the details of emission trading related problems in corporate accounting, as the situation unfolds.

2.	Economic and Social Strategies for the Aging Society

The forecast by the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research said that Japan's population would peak in 2005 and then decline, while the ratio of senior citizens in total population would continue to increase. A concern is that the arrival of such aging society will lead to serious consequences such as decreasing young labor force population, slower economic growth, and increased social security burden on existing workforce. Because of this, we shall study, review, and then recommend possible economic and social policies to mitigate the adverse effects of more aged and less youth population on Japanese society and economy.

3.	Collaboration between NGO/NPO and governments/corporations

The role of non-profit sector including NGO/NPO is increasing its importance in a globalizing society. The Institute shall search for the solutions to various obstacles in securing the non-profit sector role in Japanese social and economic systems and in enhancing its collaboration with government and corporations based on the partnerships, aiming to provide policy proposals to the government.

4.	Strategies for Environmental Technology Transfer to Developing Countries to assist their Sustainable Development

With its experiences in overcoming serious pollution problems in the past, Japan preferably needs to offer to developing countries not only the technologies developed from its anti-pollution experiences but also the case studies of failures as well as the tasks for the future. While industries develop as an artery of a society, eco-businesses, which are considered as a promising strategic industry because of their broad spectrum and diversity, will play a key role as a vein of a society. The Institute's research is to contribute to ﾒthe realization of sustainable society at less expensive environmental burdenﾓ by analyzing the best mix of developmental and environmental technology transfers to developing countries. The study, at the same time, shall propose strategies for the reinforcement of Japanese companies' competitiveness in eco-businesses.

5.	Standardization of ecoassess-ment criteria

Increasing are the attempts to rate a corporate credentials through the assessment of not only financial aspects but also environmental measures, although the method to quantitatively assess environmental measures has not been established, yet. The Institute shall study for the standardization of environmental corporate-rating method that will comprehensively evaluate the environmental measures and practices of corporations from objective viewpoint, in accordance with quantitative standards, summarizing them, and submitting policy-recommendation.

6.	China after joining the WTO and its effects on the economies of Japan and ASEAN, and how Japan shall respond to it?

China has joined the WTO and, using that fact as a lever, planned to proceed with its structural reform. However, certain inefficiencies still remain in China, and joining WTO may also give a rise of new problems. Japan, on the other hand, may find difficulty in sustaining the existing economic structure, due to aging and decreasing population. Therefore, to build a new link with China, ASEAN and others will be likely to become an important issue in the future. For this, the Institute shall explain the actual situation and identify the problems in industries, for example the reform of China's National Enterprises, and the financial sector. There will also be the research and survey about possible responses Japanese government can take for the co-existence with WTO-joined China and ASEAN.

7.	Research and survey on the effects of post-WTO-joining Chinese economy on the ASEAN countries, and the role of Japan

8.	Review and study of global warming mitigation mea-sures

9.	Project on the basic study of efficiency improvement for international level energy consumption

10.	Project of climate change effect assessment (IPCC)

11.	Study of Activities Implemented Jointly in China